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Fetishism of The End

posted by ohphukimintrouble on Whatever

Something I've begun to think about recently is how a lot of people seem to have a romantic idea of the world ending. They believe some global doomsday epidemic will come about, civilisation will break down, and it will be each man for himself.

Now, you can't rule out anything happening. There's a small possibility that it could happen, sure. But when you listen to some of these predictions, they will claim that another 2008 recession will be the reason for the end or that tomorrow the sun will rise and it'll be the end. Things that are relatively small become reasons for an epidemic. I just don't believe that to be the case.

These people have a dreamy idea that they will be truly free and in touch with nature. They will hunt, fish, axe their own trees, construct their own fort. I too have thoughts about alternative scenarios, but again, there are things that aren't likely to happen in reality. That includes living like the Amish.

Disasters do happen, and it's important to be prepared. But disasters don't happen in a wide area affecting a massive chunk of a nations population. It's confined to areas and it impacts a certain number of the population. How you'll survive after a disaster strikes is a good thing to ponder and act upon. But it's not for long. You leave and the place gets rebuilt in a few years time.

Even if a large-scale disaster were to hypothetically happen, why do we have to suddenly live among nature? There's nothing stopping us from living like they did merely 100 years ago. We have the knowledge of industrialisation, carpentry, metal work. While you would never return the high standard of living that we had before, you can definitely rebuild and get back onto the path of development.

As I write this, I've begun to wonder about the religious relation to this. Could there be a bit of a religious attachment to this romanticism of the end? To me, it feels like it comes from the same types of people who believe that Jesus will come back and usher in a new age.

I have no problem with the people who believe this. I just think it gets a bit much at times and can get a bit silly. But it's important to be prepared, regardless of the scale of any disaster.

Something I've begun to think about recently is how a lot of people seem to have a romantic idea of the world ending. They believe some global doomsday epidemic will come about, civilisation will break down, and it will be each man for himself. Now, you can't rule out anything happening. There's a small possibility that it could happen, sure. But when you listen to some of these predictions, they will claim that another 2008 recession will be the reason for the end or that tomorrow the sun will rise and it'll be the end. Things that are relatively small become reasons for an epidemic. I just don't believe that to be the case. These people have a dreamy idea that they will be truly free and in touch with nature. They will hunt, fish, axe their own trees, construct their own fort. I too have thoughts about alternative scenarios, but again, there are things that aren't likely to happen in reality. That includes living like the Amish. Disasters do happen, and it's important to be prepared. But disasters don't happen in a wide area affecting a massive chunk of a nations population. It's confined to areas and it impacts a certain number of the population. How you'll survive after a disaster strikes is a good thing to ponder and act upon. But it's not for long. You leave and the place gets rebuilt in a few years time. Even if a large-scale disaster were to hypothetically happen, why do we have to suddenly live among nature? There's nothing stopping us from living like they did merely 100 years ago. We have the knowledge of industrialisation, carpentry, metal work. While you would never return the high standard of living that we had before, you can definitely rebuild and get back onto the path of development. As I write this, I've begun to wonder about the religious relation to this. Could there be a bit of a religious attachment to this romanticism of the end? To me, it feels like it comes from the same types of people who believe that Jesus will come back and usher in a new age. I have no problem with the people who believe this. I just think it gets a bit much at times and can get a bit silly. But it's important to be prepared, regardless of the scale of any disaster.

8 comments

[–] GuyIDisagreeWith 2 points (+2|-0)

Edited

Abandonment of present day stresses & Hollywood's urge to ape the last big profit. Once it was romance novels, then it was Space Opera, and now it's The End Of The World As We Know It. Once it was even beautiful, romantic, protracted, agonizing deaths. The next cash cow will be along eventually.

I think Willoughby Kipling put it best when he said, "How you feel about the end of the world as we know it depends on how you feel about the world as we know it. Personally I think it's highly overrated."

[–] MirrorMan 1 points (+1|-0)

That's why investment is so important. Personally I don't care about the end of the world, but I have a younger sister. I would do anything to secure the existence of the world so she can experience growing up and becoming independent. Children, family, and community are vital. The world is truly bigger than you, but if your world isn't then it is no wonder you are attracted to its end. You never fully understood what it was that you wished destroyed in the first place. It deeply bothers me that there are world leaders without children.

[–] GuyIDisagreeWith 0 points (+0|-0)

Here's the question: Is the world overrated, or is the end of the world overrated?

[–] MirrorMan 0 points (+0|-0)

The world is nothing but potential. How do you rate something like that? You could assess it by noon and new changes would have emerged by dinner time. The end of the world isn't always dramatic and more akin to what is happening to the church in the US. Protracted diminishing and wasting away. Sudden change is hard to say, but I'm sticking with my guns that it is the idiots that carry out sudden change so it almost always is a negative. Worked for the French because their ruling class was obsolete and useless many generations running. Didn't work for the Soviet Union because the middle class actually were vital and useful.